Mekong Community Center

About Mekong Community Center

The Mekong Community Center in San Jose, California, is a unique behavioral health clinic focusing on the Vietnamese and Asian/Pacific Islander citizens of Santa Clara County. The San Jose community is a hub for people of Vietnamese descent, and this clinic provides them and others with mental health and wellness services.

The clinic stands out to me because they accept Medi Cal without copayment and also offer their Wellness Center classes and programs free of charge to reduce or eliminate any barriers to care.

Culturally Sensitive Behavioral Health Services

The staff at the Mekong Center are bilingual and bicultural, and they understand how Vietnamese and Asian cultures think about mental health and the stigmas that exist. I think this is really helpful because your culture can make a big difference in whether or not you seek support and in the kind of support you’ll accept.

They provide individual and group counseling, crisis support, medication, family education and crisis support. They can also connect you to support groups and refer you to agencies that can provide additional services.

A Culture Specific Wellness Center in San Jose

I was also fascinated by the Wellness Center programs that are specifically tailored to Vietnamese and Asian cultures. The programs are entirely free and take place at the same location as other community services.

They offer classes in stress management, resiliency, mindfulness as well as arts and crafts and social game nights. There are outdoor activities and sharing circles, and they have cultural events for the community as well.

What I noticed about this is that the programs are tailored to be ethnically sensitive and non stigmatizing. In some cultures needing help with mental health, stress, or other topics can be seen as weak, and the Mekong Community Center goes out of their way to address those concerns and remove the stigma.